


Morning After

by Siberianskys



Series: The Accidental Counselor [5]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Asexuality Spectrum, Demisexuality, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/M, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Implied Relationships, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-02-26 12:52:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18717460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberianskys/pseuds/Siberianskys





	1. Chapter 1

When Tony woke in the early hours of the morning, it took him several minutes to realize where he was and whose strong arm was wrapped around his ribs. He smiled when he remembered drifting off to sleep in Clint's and Phil's bed with Clint's arm around him. Tony hoped that this wasn't the last time he'd get the opportunity to sleep in Clint's embrace. As was Tony's habit when he couldn't get back to sleep, he started to slip out of bed so he could tinker in his workshop, but unlike with Pepper, Tony's movements woke Clint. 

"Stay," Clint whispered into Tony's ear. 

Tony settled back against Clint and tried to relax. 

"Too weird?" Clint asked. 

"It's nice," Tony said, running his fingers along the back of Clint's hand and fingers.

At some point, Tony figured he must have fallen back asleep, because when he woke again he was alone and light was coming in through the space between the bottom of the window covering and the sill . Crawling out of bed, Tony relieved himself in the en suite, washed his hands and brushed his teeth with the toothpaste he found there and his finger. Tony knew he couldn't stay in the bedroom forever and calling the suit wouldn't gain him any brownie points with Phil, so he took a deep breath and let himself out of the bedroom and went looking for Clint. Hearing voices, he followed them and found Clint, Phil and Natasha in the kitchen. Natasha was the first to notice his presence. Following Natasha's gaze, Clint grinned at Tony. 

"I should a--" Tony said, trailing off as he pointed in the direction of the front door, uncomfortable interrupting Clint with his primary family unit. 

Clint hopped off the kitchen counter and greeted Tony with a kiss. "You should sit down, breakfast is almost ready."

"I don't want to interrupt," Tony said, looking between Phil and Natasha for help.

Natasha rolled her eyes. 

"Sit down, Tony," Phil said, "Clint made feta and spinach quiche. We're just waiting for it to come out of the oven."

"There's also fingerling potatoes and fruit salad," Clint said. 

"If you're sure I'm not in the way," Tony said.

Natasha climbed off the bar stool that she was sitting on at the island and went to Tony and said, "if you weren't welcome, we would not have invited you" as she placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed his cheeks. "You will always know where you stand with us."

Tony exhaled and felt the tension leave his body. Before he could respond to Natasha, J.A.V.I.S.'s voice filled the kitchen. 

"Sir, Captain Roger's is assembling the Avengers," J.A.R.V.I.S. said. 

"And it sounded so good," Tony said. 

"I'll wrap it up and you can have some later," Phil said. 

"You love me," Tony said, kissing Phil on the cheek as he passed by. Realizing what he did he turned and stared at Clint. "I'm sorry. I--" 

"It's okay," Clint said, kissing Tony slow and deep on the mouth. "I'd' be in the wrong family if I did't know how to share."

"Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S said. 

"I know, assembling," Tony said. "Tell Cap we're on the way up."


	2. Chapter 2

The Avengers' assembly turned out to be a false alarm. Nobody really minded, since it was good practice for the team, with the exception of Bruce. Bruce's metamorphosis from himself to the other guy and back wasn't easy. In fact, it was an exhausting experience and sometimes a painful one. 

Clint noticed Steve watching Tony cuddling with Bruce on the sofa. Their leader looked troubled and confused. It was obvious that Clint had been right and someone, probably Phil, should have sat Steve down and explained polyamory to the man from the past. Now, it looked like the task was going to fall to him. Clint's first thought on the subject was don't fuck-up.

"You look like a man with questions," Clint said, walking up behind Steve and patting the man on the shoulder. 

"They look-- close," Steve said, measuring his words. 

"You don't seem to have a problem with Phil and me," Clint said. 

"I'm not homophobic," Steve said, "if that's what you're asking. And before you ask, I looked it up."

"You don't look exactly open minded where Bruce and Tony are concerned," Clint said. 

"I thought Tony was with Miss Potts," Steve said.

"Tony is with Pepper," Clint said. "I'm going to email you some links and when you have questions you can talk to any of us."

"Any of you?" Steve asked. 

"What we do--it's called polyamory," Clint said. 

"Like an orgy?" Steve asked.

"No," Clint said, laughing, "at least I don't think so. "I've never been to an orgy. If you have orgy questions, Tony is probably your guy."

"Can you give me the short version for now?" Steve asked. 

I'm not sure there's a short version exactly," Clint said. "If you're only interested in Tony's situation, his primary partner is Pepper. No one enters their relationship without both of their consents. That's about as uncomplicated as I can make it."

"Everything okay?" Phil asked, wrapping his arms around Clint as he rested his chin on Clint's shoulder. 

"Cap was asking about Tony and Bruce," Clint said.

"Are you interested in Tony or Bruce?" Phil asked. 

Steve blushed.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm not interested in Tony," Steve said.

"What's wrong with Tony," Clint said a little too sharply and loudly.

"You and Tony?" Steve asked. 

"That might be too much for one conversation," Phil said. 

"Phil is probably right," Clint said, "first poly relationships and then we can talk about the asexual spectrum."

Steve turned even pinker when Tony joined the small group. 

"I'm sorry, Steve," Phil said, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. "

"I'm not exactly uncomfortable," Steve said.

"Curious?" Tony asked. 

"It's really possible to have more than one--" Steve said, trailing off. "I'm not sure what to call it."

"Monogamy doesn't work for everyone," Clint said.

Steve chewed his lip while he tried to form his next question.

"I'm guessing this has something to do with my Aunt Peggy and Sargent Barnes," Tony said.

"You knew Peggy?" Steve asked.

"Aunt Peggy and the human Jarvis were about the only people who made my childhood bearable," Tony said. "If you have any doubt about how she'd react if she found out that you were in love with Barnes, too, don't worry about it."

"Why?" Steve asked. 

"You made quite the impression," Tony said. "She used to quote you a lot. She had no patience for bullies. When my old man beat the hell out of me, because he caught me with my boyfriend when I was 15, she planted him in a wall. I had to see her behind Howard's back after that."

"No wonder you hate it when I bring him up," Steve said. "I'm sorry." 

Tony patted Steve on the back. "Being a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist has its benefits," Tony said. "I get to be eccentric. Now, I'm going to put Bruce to bed and you can gossip with Clint and Phil."

"You want some help?" Clint asked. 

"Can Clint come out and play?" Tony asked. 

"If he's home by midnight," Phil said. 

Clint laughed, leaned over, and kissed his husband non too chastely on the mouth. "No worries," Clint said. "We have a TV date tonight, in case you forgot."

"I can record it," Phil said. 

"You will not stand me up," Clint said. 

"Yes, sir," Phil said. 

"Kinky," Tony said, followed by an "ouch" when Clint popped him on the back of the head. 

"Be good," Phil said. 

"No," both Tony and Clint said simultaneously, laughing as they headed over to the sofa and hauled Bruce to his feet and steered him toward the elevator as they whispered together conspiratorially.

"That doesn't bother you," Steve asked. 

"It's more complicated than I would have thought," Phil said.


	4. Chapter 4

Clint bounded through the door yelling, "sorry," as he grabbed a Corona from the fridge before going to look for Phil. Instead of his husband, he found Steve, alone, relaxing in a recliner and drinking what looked like some sort of soda and watching a black and white movie that Clint didn't recognize. 

"Should I head out?" Steve asked, looking guilty as he stood-up.

"Why?" Clint asked as he made himself comfortable on the end of his favorite sofa that let him see both Steve and the widescreen TV.

"You said something about TV night or something," Steve said. 

"Nobody said you couldn't join us," Clint said. "Speaking of joining us, where's Phil?"

"He got a phone call," Steve said. "He said he'd take it in his office and that you'd be back soon and I should wait."

Clint chuckled.

"What? Steve asked. 

"That was Phil's way of ducking out so we could talk," Clint said. 

"About?" Steve asked. 

"You had questions," Clint said. 

"It's none of my business," Steve said. "I'm sorry I stuck my nose into your--"

"Don't be," Clint said. "We should have told you what was going on. Even a lot of people from this time period don't usually understand how our relationships work. It's more complicated when you consider my sexuality or lack of it."

"Is that what you meant by asexual?" Steve asked. 

"The easiest way to explain it is that an asexual isn't physically attracted to anyone of either gender," Clint said. 

"Considering your situation, I'm guessing that it isn't as simple as that with you," Steve said. 

"You could say that," Clint said. 

"Are you happy?" Steve asked.

Clint smiled. "It took me a long time to accept myself, but I am now."

"I hope I can sat that one day," Steve said.


End file.
